We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Carey Balogh. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Carey below.

Alright, Carey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

Brand Groupies came about organically. Throughout my PR career, I was always passionate and obsessive about the brands I was representing – a true “cheerleader” in a sense. When I was thinking of a name for my new agency, I tried to think of a term to showcase that passion I felt behind the scenes. Also, I’m a concert junkie and play guitar in a band (and met my husband while he was touring on the road!), so the play on “band” groupies seemed like a natural fit!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I graduated with a BA in Journalism from the University of Maryland with a focus on PR. I immediately headed to New York City after graduation and started working as a fashion publicist, representing several fashion designers and producing New York fashion shows. My dream was to live and work in Italy, so after a few years I headed off to attend the Marangoni Institute in Milan, where I received a Master’s in Fashion Promotion and worked for various fashion designers there for nearly three years.

Working with brands like Calvin Klein Collection and Gucci, I learned “branding” firsthand as we had to follow very specific “brand guidelines” for each of the different collections. The attention to detail and high standards of the fashion industry really helped sharpen my skills and creative eye.

At Brand Groupies, we apply our fashion PR training to traditional B2B brands in design, architecture, engineering, construction, and real estate. Through a fashion lens, we make sure our clients stand out in a creative, authentic way through strategic social media, public relations, and personal branding.

Can you share one of your favorite marketing or sales stories?

When I co-founded Frolic!, a 5,000 sq ft rock ‘n’ roll-themed play space for children aged five and under in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, we had to develop a marketing plan prior to opening our doors to create buzz and sell memberships (which started at $1,000/year).

With the rock ‘n’ roll theme, we produced a free kids’ rock concert with our Frolic! kids’ band at the local music venue, complete with a red carpet, stroller valet, bar for the parents, kids’ activities, etc. We posted fliers all over town like it was real rock concert and promoted it in all the local media. We ended up with nearly 600 people in attendance!

As a membership-only play space, we offered a limited number of “charter” memberships with a lifetime discount for signing up before we opened, in addition to special offers on classes and birthday parties. This not only helped the sales funnel but was imperative for our cash flow so we had money in the bank the day we opened our doors!

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Referrals. We work mainly in the commercial architecture, engineering, and construction industry in NYC and NJ, and rely on referrals from our industry peers. It’s an industry where everyone knows everyone, and once you establish your place (ie. we’ve worked with our main client Mancini Duffy for six years!), it helps to build trust within a specific industry and niche.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://brandgroupies.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brandgroupies/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/careybalogh/